1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to amplifiers. More specifically, the present invention provides slew rate enhancement during an initial stage of operation of an amplifier and processing of an input signal with low noise introduction during a subsequent amplification stage of operation.
2. Background Art
Amplifiers often are used with analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) or other signal processing chains. It is generally desired to construct an amplifier to settle quickly and to also introduce low levels of noise. These qualities, however, are usually in tension. That is, conventional amplifiers generally either settle quickly at the cost of introducing high levels of noise or else introduce low levels of noise at the cost of settling slowly.
Accordingly, what is needed is an amplifier that simultaneously achieves both goals of settling quickly and introducing a low level of noise.